Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-08

solictously.
Did he know that her husband was liv
ing? she didn't know; she didn't want hin
10 find that out Just yet, for MI the sun
shine would 90 out of her life with III
revelation, she was sure. He was to-
honorable to love her as he did if he hat
known. She meant to tell him, meant tt
write it to him afterwhile, but not vet, no
not yet.
She took the bundle from his hand
absently, and in silent, strange wa,
ceased talking With weary sigh. An,
one On the outlook for a sensational
shadow might have made quite al item O
look and gesture, but the guilelt SIS heart o.
her companion only felt that she was j;
trouble. And Tor her, things had not q!
yet taken any definite shape. She onl,
wished that Abner was as good and genia
hearted as was Cullen Leighton.
She went into the cabin and sat dowl
where the sunshine fell through the pans
in little golden waltzes, and capered owe,
her brown hair. and nestled warmly '.n(
the laces at her throat.
The boat had rung her hell, and was
leaving the wharf when sharp, quick re.
port of a revolver rang out from her deck
startling the crew and those on shore inc
a feverish excitement.
Cullen Leighton had turned to go wher
he fell 10 the ground with moan, seri.
ously wounded.
"Wlo fired the shot?" "Was it accidental
or did it mean murder?" was asked score
of times, but in all the frantic crowd not
one could give definite answer,
Eleanor Byrne rushed out of the cabin
in time to see man spring from
the deck into the dark water be-
meath. Such was the excitement OIL
shore over the wounded man that no one
seemed to notice the suicidal leap--no one
excepting the terror stricken woman on the
boat. And what was there about that form
which a moment ago divided the tapping
| hearts center?
| She clasped her hands in mute agony
and swooned on the deck; when she became
conscious again a woman was battling he1
! face in the cabin.
| ais he deal-did be lrown?" she gasped
with white lips.
NO; he wasn't in the water, ma'am; he
was shot on shore by somebody, but they
| say he isn't mortally wounded"
Eleanor shut her eyes and trembled
| Then no one had seen the man nthe water
it seemed. She shut her lips desperately
tightly, 10 keep from shrieking out that hel
husband was Observation-Disclosures
dead, under the cold, relentless waters
He had fired the shot that wounded, ant
perhaps would kill, Cullen Leighton, bu
she must not speak.
Prudence must keep the horrifying rev
citation secret within her own bosom. I
Abner had only jumped into the water t,
avoid detection, and saved himself, discre
ton would be best; she recollected that h
was an excellent swimmer.
But one thing was plain. If Abner fire,
that shot he must have known of the friend
ship between herself and the junior part
ner.
"True," she had told her terrified soul
"the,e had been nothing tlishonorable in it
but the world-the awful world-might no
be convinced;" not if the passionate hus
band lived to vindicate his action, and
wild, insane wish for moment took pos
session. Of her that he might be dead.
She opened the wicket and walked up tt
tagging TO the front door as usual. Per
haps, after all, it wasn't Abner. and like
he was in the house now, it being his nou
for returning from the office.
But he was not in. He was sleeping tn
dreamless sleep beneath the icy waters o
, the bay. And, if the miserable wife wa
Mortified before, she was doubly torture
now by the strange revelation of note lei
on her dlessing-table. What was even hi
suicide TO the contents of the hurried scrav
lying there? Simply nothing.
This afternoon, ran the note, II al
going to shoot Cullen Leighton, JUNO
partner of the firm of Nichols & Leigh
ton, not because you care for him, but be
cause he carries a secret which he woul
reveal did he know of my residence here
and that secret would send me to skingdol
} come no doubt And, if M
courage holds out, shall eli
t my earthly career before you have a chanc
to investigate this matter further. NJ
, name is not Abner Byrne. as you thinl
but Leon Harding; the junior partner coul
) tell you why changed my name, if b
I were living after day, but he will not /
alive, neither shall l.
, "LEoN HARDING
+ The morning papers in B were flu
+ of the tragical occurrence, painting it
p eNtravagant colors, but no one had recoe
; nized the man who had jumped overboar
and was drowned. Doubtless the would
be assassin had followed up the dastardl
deed with contemplated suicide, as
O sprang from the boat directly after tt
shooting"
And thus the affair was discussed viii
/ Cullen Leighton struggled back to lii
r through tedious convalescense. q
l hadn't the least idea who sent the shot {
t near his heart; he suspected no one, coul
think of no one-unless it could have bee
well that could not have been either, fl
s Harding wasn't in the country-hadn
a been since his implication in the Benso
/ murder, ten years ago.
r But the junior partner did not gro
t strong; it seemed that the weary, spiritles